Court accuses Russia of ‘state terrorism’ over murder in German park

A German judge accused Russia of “state terrorism” on Wednesday after ruling Russia ordered an agent, Vadim Krasikov, to kill a Georgian citizen who had been fighting alongside Chechen separatists.

Judge Olaf Arnoldi said Krasikov shot Tornike Khangoshvili three times in a German park in 2019 under orders by Russia and sentenced him to life in prison, Reuters reported.

“State organs of the government of the Russian Federation took the decision to liquidate Tornike Khangoshvili in Berlin,” Arnoldi said.

“Khangoshvili had given up the fight against the Russian Federation years before. He had not held a weapon in his hands since 2008,” Arnoldi said. “This was not an act of self-defence by Russia. This was and is nothing other than state terrorism.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously called Khangoshvili a “bloody terrorist” back in 2019, according to Reuters.

The judge said Russia gave Krasikov false papers so he could travel and money to get away.

“Four children lost their father, two siblings their brother,” the judge said. “Some media suggested that Russia or even Vladimir Putin are on trial here. That’s misleading: only the convict is on the bench.”

The German foreign minister said the Russian ambassador had been summoned after the verdict and that two of his diplomatic staff would be expelled, according to Reuters. 

“This murder, ordered by a state, is a serious violation of German law and Germany’s sovereignty,” Annalena Baerbock said. “Acts like the murder in [Berlin’s] Tiergarten park seriously burden relations between our countries.”